Name: Harry Lucas

Core Practical Title: Investigating the tensile strength of plant fibres

Specification statement:
CORE PRACTICAL 8: Determine the tensile strength of plant fibres.

Common Practical Assessment Criteria (CPAC)

2b Carries out techniques or procedures methodically, in sequence and in combination, identifying practical
issues and making adjustments when necessary.
2c Identifies and controls significant quantitative variables where applicable, and plans approaches to take
account of variables that cannot readily be controlled.
2d Selects appropriate equipment and measurement strategies in order to ensure suitably accurate results.
5b Sources of information are cited demonstrating that research has taken place, supporting planning and
conclusions.

Use of apparatus and techniques criteria

1. use appropriate apparatus to record a range of quantitative measurements (to include mass, time,
volume, temperature, length and pH)

Introduction
Scientific Background
Plant Fibres
Plant fibres are made from long tubes of plant cells. Plant fibres are very strong
due to net arrangement of cellulose microfibrils, joined by many hydrogen
bonds between cellulose chains, in a matrix of polysaccharide glues such as
hemicellulose and pectins, in the cell wall. Furthermore, the cellulose
microfibrils are laid out in different angles which provides additional strength as
well as flexibility. In addition, some specialized, structural plant cells can
develop an additional cell wall between the original and the cell membrane. The
secondary cell wall is much thicker and is heavily impregnated with lignin, this
gives plant fibres lots of strength.

The strength and flexibility of plant fibres makes them very useful, for example in the production of robes and fabrics.
The use of plant fibres is also very sustainable because plants can be regrown to maintain supplies for future
generations; they can easily be grown and processed which also makes them very cheap and accessible for under-
developed countries. However, materials, such as ropes, made from plant fibres tend to be less strong than those
made from oil-based substances, such as plastics.

Sclerenchyma cells
Plants depends on their cells to be extremely specialised to perform their life functions. For example, since plants do
not have bones for structure and support, they must have cell walls around all their cells. This leads to the need for
unique cells in plants. Sclerenchyma cells are specialized plant cells that exist to provide strength and support. They
are present in all kinds of plants including grasses, trees, and flowering plants. Plants require cells that are bound
together and have a strong outer layer known as a cell wall. Sclerenchyma cells are strong, thick cells that provide
most of the support in a plant. They are known to have extremely thick cell walls and do not participate in many of the
other activities of the developing plants, such as photosynthesis, because their focus is strictly on support and
structure (study, 2015).

Tensile strength
The maximum stress that a material can withstand while being stretched or
pulled before breaking (wikipedia,2020) This is important to know in regards to
plant fibres, especially if they're going to be used for things like ropes.

How do we extract plant fibres?

The plant can be pulled apart mechanically by pulling out the fibres or by
digesting the surrounding tissues. Fortunately, cellulose - particularly cellulose
combined with lign is very resistant to chemical and enzyme degradation,
whilst the polysaccharides that hold the plants together can simply dissolve
away. (Anderson,2015)

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 Hypothesis
Alternative hypothesis: There is a significant difference between the tensile strength and the type of plant fibre
used
Null hypothesis: There is no significant difference between the tensile strength and the type of plant fibre used

The nettle will be able to withstand a greater amount of stress before it is broken thanks to the chemical nature and
structure of the cells that make up the fibre. Thus allowing them to be used in textiles and clothing for thousands of
years.
Method
Variables
Dependent variable: The mass (g) added before the plant fibre breaks
Independent variable: The type of plant fibre used (celery/ nettle)
Control variables: Humidity, age of plant fibre, length of fibre, size of each individual mass

Equipment
 Stems of stinging nettles or celery
 Bucket
 Gloves
 Paper towels
 2 clamp stands
 A set of the same type of weights
 White tile
 Sharp knife/ Scalpel
Procedure
1. The leaves were removed and any flowers from the stems of mature stinging nettles were removed
as well. The stems were placed in a bowl/bucket of water so that they are completely submerged.
The stems were soaked for at least a week; They could have been left outdoors because they were
very smelly.
2. The stems were then removed from the water. The stems were washed so that the softened tissue
was removed and then the remaining fibres were dried. The outside cuticle and epidermal layer were
rubbed away, and the central pith was left when the fibres was peeled. These ‘fibres’ were made up
of the vascular tissue; they contained the xylem vessels, the phloem and the sclerenchyma fibres.
3. Use the micrometre to calculate the cross-sectional area of each fibre
4. Once the fibres were removed, the fibres were then connected between 2 clamp stands.
5. There was a weight holder added and the weights were placed in the middle points between the two
retort stands.
6. The mass was then gradually increased until the plant fibre broke, this was for the celery fibre.
7. This was then recorded onto a table.
8. Step one to six were done again but with individual fibres from a nettle and different ways of
combining fibres (e.g. twists). You can also compare the tensile strength of the stem to the individual
fibres.
9. Now using the results, you have calculated the tensile strength of the fibre by doing mass divided by
the cross-sectional area.

How will reliability and validity of results be ensured?

To ensure that the results are reliable and valid, you must make sure that certain key variables are controlled. The
humidity and temperature should be controlled as they could affect the tensile strength of the fibres. In addition, the
length of the fibres should be roughly similar to ensure that a comparison is fair. Finally, the experiment should be
repeated in order to calculate the mean and identify any anomalous results, this reduces the effects of random error
and so increases precision of the results.

Risk Assessment
Hazard Risk Control Measure
Broken glassware/ tile Use disposable gloves and handle
Broken glass, such as the beakers broken glass with are making sure
could cause serious injuries such as to put it into a designated bin
cuts and could get into the skin

Spillages Spillages such as the water from the Use a paper towel or clean it up with
bucket where the stem are left, can a mop immediately.
make the floor slippery and can
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 result onto causing an injury if
someone slips.
sharp scalpel/ knife When cutting the plant fibre and Be careful with scalpels and a knife
you're not careful or if you don’t use and make sure you hold them facing
the scalpel/ knife properly then you downwards when moving them
could cut the skin. around. Also keep them away from
the people around you and if you
bleed get a paper towel and wash
the cut and ask the teacher to assist
you and they may provide a plaster/
first aid.

Results
Results Table

Graph

Cross sectional area for the celery fibre:

R= 0.0874/2=0.0437mm
Pi x r2= cross sectional area
Pi x 0.04372= 0.0059994...mm2

Tensile strength = mass/ cross sectional area

Nettle = 1134/0.03009775 = 37677.23501
Celery = 181/0.0059994 = 30169.68364
Statistics

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 The degrees of freedom
Degree of freedom= n1+n2
=19+19-2
=36

What is T (calculations)?
T= (16363-4681.68) / √ (6974.6482/19) + (1633.057/19) =
7.107
Therefore, T= 7.107

The calculated T value (7.107) is higher than the critical

value (2.042) at the 5% significance level. Therefore, the null hypothesis can be rejected and the alternative
hypothesis is accepted. This means that there is a statistically significant number between the tensile strength of the
two plant fibres. The tensile strength of the nettle is greater than the tensile strength of the celery fibres. The results
would occur more than 95% of the time. There is less than 5% probability that the significant result is due to chance.

Conclusion
Trends and Patterns of data
The data shows that the nettle fibres are stronger and have higher tensile strength than the celery fibres, they can
withstand more weight before breaking. The unpaired T test further shows that there is a statistical significance
between the two results.

Conclusions with scientific background

The nettle had the larger tensile strength due to the chemical nature and structure of the cells that make up the fibre.
Cellulose is a key component of cell walls and has cross-linking thanks to strong, horizontal glycosidic bonds
between glucose molecules and vertical hydrogen bonds between neighbouring chains (forming microfibrils). A mesh
of microfibrils is then glued together with pectin and hemicellulose which allows for greater strength and flexibility. In
addition lignin is a chemical found in cell walls as well which gives cells support and waterproof capabilities. Middle
lamella joins adjacent cell walls together with calcium pectate – adding to the strength of the plant fibres. The fibres
may also contain sclerenchyma fibres – these form long tubes for strength and support, featuring lignified walls as
well. All of these features give the plant fibres great tensile strength (snabbiology, 2017)

Bibliography
MSU, Phloem, (accessed 20 February 2020)
https://msu.edu/~walwort8/page2.html

Physicsandmathstutor, CP 08 – Tensile Strength of Plant Fibres, {accessed 21 February 2020}

https://www.physicsandmathstutor.com/biology-revision/a-level-edexcel-a/practical-skills/tensile-strength-of-plant-
fibres/

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 Snabbiology, (2017), THE STRENGTH OF PLANT {accessed 25 February 2020}

https://snabbiology.co.uk/the-strength-of-plant-fibres/

Socratic, (2018), What is a paired and unpaired t-test? What are the differences? {assessed 24 February 2020}

https://socratic.org/questions/what-is-a-paired-and-unpaired-t-test-what-are-the-differences

Study, (2015), Sclerenchyma Cells: Function & Location {accessed 24 February}

https://study.com/academy/lesson/sclerenchyma-cells-function-location-quiz.html

Teacher Use only

Common Practical Assessment criteria (CPAC) Achieved / Working

towards / not achieved
2b Carries out techniques or procedures methodically, in sequence and in
combination, identifying practical issues and making adjustments when necessary.

2c Identifies and controls significant quantitative variables where applicable, and plans
approaches to take account of variables that cannot readily be controlled.

2d Selects appropriate equipment and measurement strategies in order to ensure

suitably accurate results.

5b Sources of information are cited demonstrating that research has taken place,
supporting planning and conclusions.

Use of apparatus and techniques criteria Achieved / Working

towards / not achieved
1. use appropriate apparatus to record a range of quantitative measurements (to
include mass, time, volume, temperature, length and pH)

Teacher Feedback
Overall Comments

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